I recently had the chance to spend a long weekend in Luxembourg. You might wonder what there is to see in a country that is so tiny. But tucked away in between its much larger neighboring countries, it is just as – if not more – beautiful!
Think of challenging hikes on the Müllerthal trail, wine tasting at the Moselle River, and cultural city trips in the country’s capital, Luxembourg City, or oldest town, Echternach. This was exactly what my four days in Luxembourg looked like and what I’d also like to share with you!
Let’s get ready for a long weekend in Luxembourg!
Note: this trip was on invitation of Visit Luxembourg (sponsored). However, this blog post contains my honest experiences and opinions.
4 days in Luxembourg itinerary
Day 1: exploring Luxembourg City
The best way to start your visit to Luxembourg is in its capital, Luxembourg City. I spent one day in the city, but you can easily spend a weekend here if you want to see everything. Although there’s a lot to see you can perfectly explore the old town on foot. If you’re staying outside of the historical center you can easily get here by tram. Good to know: public transport in Luxembourg is entirely free!
Start your city visit at Place d’Armes. Here you’ll be amazed by the Cercle Municipal, once the municipal palace and home to the predecessor of the European Union, today a conference and exhibition center. A bit further, you can walk through a covered street to Place Guillaume II, where you’ll also find the tourist office. Don’t hesitate to go in!
From here you can go to Palace Grand Ducal, which is the official residence town of the Grand Duke, and can only be visited in summer. A small covered pathway that used to be a fish market leads you to the national slogan of Luxembourg “Mir wëllen bleiwen wat mir sin” or “we want to stay who we are”. Fun fact, it is said that Goethe once stayed in one of the hotels here. Walk further until you see the Grund, one of Luxembourg City’s oldest neighborhoods in the lower town.
You have a great view of the Grund from Rocher du Bock. Underneath you’ll find the casemates of Luxembourg, used as a defense system in times of war, and storage room in times of peace. Once it was more than 30 km long, today still 18 km remain. These can be visited at two places: Casemates du Bock & Casemates de la Pétrusse.
Take a turn on the Chemin de la Corniche, also called “the most beautiful balcony of Europe”. The view you get of the lower town is just magnificent! The road ends at the Palace of Justice where you’ll find an elevator connecting the upper and the lower part of the city. Either go down or make your way to Cathedral Notre-Dame de Luxembourg. I found the inside beyond impressive with its many organic shapes which you don’t often find in cathedrals. Also notice the coat of arms of several regions that either are, or used to be part of Luxembourg in the past. And don’t forget to visit its crypts, the last resting place of the former Grand Dukes.
A bit further you’ll encounter the monument of the Golden Lady, a symbol for the victory during both World Wars, and to remember the soldiers that died while defending their country. Take a look at the Pont Adolphe you can see now and notice how there’s a second bridge for pedestrians & bikers underneath. If you feel like it, have a walk underneath and admire the wonderful view from below. Great pictures guaranteed!
From here, the Panoramic Elevator is the only thing you should absolutely still see. This glass elevator takes you from the upper to the lower village in a quite spectacular way. However, taking the elevator is not a good idea if you’re afraid of heights!
Of course, many other places are also worth a visit in the city center. I still have a lot of on my bucket list, such as:
- the red bridge, or officially Pont Grande-Duchesse Charlotte
- Mudam: Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean
- Fort Thüngen
- Parc de la Pétrusse
- …
Hence plenty to discover! This will already be more than sufficient for one day. If you consider spending more time in Luxembourg City, there are definitely lots of things to do! You can find all the places I mentioned in the Google Map below.
During my time in Luxembourg City, I stayed in Hotel Le Châtelet, a charming 3-star hotel with a restaurant at a 20-minute walking distance from the city’s old center. And with the free public transport, you’re there in no time!
Instead of trying out the hotel’s restaurant however, I decided to go for local Luxembourgish cuisine (you should try local dishes while traveling right?) so I had dinner at Um Dierfgen. Although the restaurant itself does not look traditional at all, the dishes served here definitely are!
In my opinion, you can compare Luxembourgish cuisine a lot with German cuisine, including some elements of the Belgian & French kitchen. As my guide told me “it has the quantity of the German kitchen and quality of the French kitchen”. The Kniddelen mat Speck, although very simple, are recommended. So are the Wainzoossis mat Môschterzooss.
Day 2: hiking in the Müllerthal region
After an early breakfast in Luxembourg City it is time to go to the Müllerthal region, known by many for the iconic Müllerthal Trail. This is a 112 km hiking route that passes by some of Luxembourg’s most impressive natural wonders. If you want to hike the entire route it takes you around 6 days, however, if you don’t want to hike 6 days there’s an easier solution. Read on!
In the little village of Berdorf, several hikes start that take you past some of the most beautiful parts of the Müllerthal Trail without having to hike the entire route. The most beautiful hike in the Müllerthal – in my humble opinion – is the B2 trail. This 4.2 km route takes you through gigantic rock formations and detours through small caves. Make sure to stop at the tourist office (at the start of the hike, camping Martbusch) to get a brochure of these detours, which are little pathways on the side of the route that show you beautiful views and rock formations.
Upon your return (about 2 hours later) go have a snack at Bistro Martbusch, next to the tourist office. Good to know: if you’d like a snack on the way, you can always buy a croissant here, but unfortunately they don’t sell sandwiches. However, for a solid lunch after your hike, you’re in the right place!
Of course, in the afternoon you can start another great hike, such as the E1 route that takes you past the border with Germany to Echternach, the oldest town of Luxembourg. This route is around 13.5 km which takes you at least 4 hours. Great if you’re up for a challenge, but if not I have another suggestion for you.
You might know that Luxembourg also counts many castles. Two of them worth visiting are the Castles of Beaufort. These two castles, one medieval castle and one renaissance castle, are located next to each other and can be visited together. However, the renaissance castle can only be visited through a guided tour, make sure to book this beforehand!
Until 2012, a lady (the last descendant after hundreds of years) still lived here, in a castle where the last renovations were made more than 100 years ago. That’s also what makes it incredibly interesting to visit! But not only your eyes, also your mouth will be satisfied. Today, they distill a local liquor in the cellars of the castle, made from local berries. You can try several types of this liquor during your visit! Hint: try the Cassero or the Framboise.
Top tip: get yourself the Luxembourg Card (only €13 per day) which gives you free entrance to many museums and attractions!
After a long day of activities, book yourself a room in B&B Berdorfer Eck and also make a reservation in their restaurant Victoria. I promise you, their cuisine is delicious & the B&B’s breakfast is delightful. Without exaggerating the best dinner and breakfast I had in Luxembourg during my trip. Plus, their rooms are large and comfortable after a long day hiking and exploring.
Day 3: wine tasting at the Moselle
On day 3, it’s time to visit Echternach if you haven’t already. Only 10 minutes driving from Berdorf, you’re here in the blink of an eye. Convenient right, traveling in such a small country? Park your car at one of the parking spots around the city center and explore everything on foot.
Your first stop should be the tourist information point (as usual right?). Here you can get a free map of the city with all its highlights. As the oldest city of Luxembourg is very small, you can do the entire tour in just one hour.
My personal favourites of the city were the Place du Marché (the main square) which is beyond charming and perfect to have a drink or lunch on one of the terraces, Pavillon Rococo, a charming pavilion surrounded by lush green. (If you’re standing on the stairs you can see Germany on the other side of the river.)
And of course the Basilique, where I was lucky enough to witness a Portuguese baptism. Did you know that Luxembourg has a very large Portuguese community? Almost 15% of the country’s inhabitants are Portuguese.
Unfortunately, the Orangerie was closed, otherwise I’m sure it would have been a lovely visit! A place I didn’t visit but would love to next time is the remains of a Roman villa, just outside the city center.
After your explorations, have lunch at Aal Eechternoach, a charming restaurant/café on the Place du Marché. It was recommended by the tourist office and the menu looked delicious, but I must admit I ate my lunch just next to it, at Café-Brasserie Beim Laange Veit. Why? Because I fancied a little snack and not the elaborate dishes from Aal Eechternoach, even though I’m convinced they must have been great. Anyways, Beim Laange Veit is also a solid option if you prefer a quick snack.
For the second part of the day, I drove to the Moselle region. Within half an hour I arrived in the picturesque village of Ahn. Located on the Moselle river, this village is home to endless wine fields, stunning river views, and countless wineries. The perfect setting to go winetasting!
I was lucky enough to visit the region during Pentecost weekend when many wineries in the Moselle region open their doors to the public for the Wine Taste Enjoy event. If you have the chance, I highly recommend visiting that weekend! But also any other moment of the year, you can go winetasting in many local wineries.
Before I lead you into my wine-tasting experience, I must say that I earned that glass of alcohol by… hiking! What’s better than hiking in between the vineyards? In Ahn, you can start the 9 km route called “Wine and Nature Path Palmberg“. This is one of Luxembourg’s Dream Loops, a selection of high-quality trails. With lots of ups and downs in the landscape your legs will definitely feel that you’re hiking.
Enjoy the view of the fields, picturesque neighboring villages, and Moselle River while you start the hike walking past and through the river Donwerbach. Going up through the fields and past the vineyards you’ll start to feel the height differences. But once you’re on top, it’s time to enjoy the views and give your legs some rest! The highlight of the hike is the view of the village Ahn and the Moselle from above.
Upon your return, you can choose one of the wineries to go tasting. I had some delicious wine at Winery Jeff Konsbrück. They offer regular wine tastings but you can also just hop into their wine bar and have a glass. Very convenient, because from March till August, they are open every Friday, Saturday & Sunday afternoon. Tip: I loved their Crémant Kinnekskummer and Pinot Gris Palmberg.
After a long day, the perfect stop for the night is Hotel Restaurant Casa49. Their rooms are beyond charming and if you’re lucky, you have a balcony with a Moselle view! I would also like to express my compliments for the nice shower and air conditioning!
Day 4: Schengen & surroundings
Only 10 minutes driving from Hotel Casa49 you find the interesting town of Schengen. You might know Schengen from the Schengen agreement, which makes that we don’t have to go through border controls everywhere in Europe. Therefore, it’s an interesting place when you like to learn a bit more about European history.
I recommend starting your visit to Schengen in front of the Centre Européen, a museum about the Schengen Agreement and its significance up until today. Here you can find the flags of all Schengen nations, but also two remaining pieces of the Berlin wall. Reminding us how important it is to have a Europe where we have the freedom to cross borders.
If you don’t feel like visiting a museum, don’t worry! Because Schengen is home to a beautiful hike, called the ‘Schengen Without Borders’ Dream Loop. This 8.5 km hike takes you up Stromberg hill across the border with France. On top, you have an amazing view of the surrounding regions, the cross point between Luxembourg, France and Germany.
I’m not going to lie, the hike is very intense. Starting at the tourist office, the first 2 km are nothing but uphill. However, once you reach a certain height, you can enjoy the wonderful views of the Moselle and the neighboring villages. That does not mean the hike gets easier! You keep on going up and down until the end. But halfway through the hike, you get rewarded for this effort with the most amazing view of the 3 countries.
After the hike, it’s time to treat yourself to another wine tasting! Again, there are several wineries in the region that offer regular wine tastings, but make sure to book these beforehand! On the website of Visit Moselle you can find an overview of all the winegrowers. My recommendation: Domaine Kox. During the Wine Taste Enjoy event, I had a lovely blind wine tasting in the sunny lush garden behind their mansion, tasting 5 different white wines & crémants together with a plate of local cheese and charcuterie. The lady that served me, gave me a very thorough explanation of the different tastes and flavours. Under normal circumstances, they also give regular tours of their wine fields!
After this wonderful day, it was time for me to head home as it’s a whopping 4 hours driving to the Belgian coast. But trust me if I say I would have stayed much longer if I could! There are just so many more wonderful hikes, impressive castles and charming towns to discover. If you want to prolong your stay, have a look at the website of Visit Luxembourg for more inspiration!
Practical info
How to go to Luxembourg?
Both your car and the train are excellent options to go to Luxembourg. The roads in Luxembourg are well-maintained and a car gives you the extra flexibility to visit the more remote parts of the country. However, public transport in Luxembourg is free so coming by train to Luxembourg City and traveling around the country by bus or train is also perfectly possible and won’t cost you anything!
How many days in Luxembourg?
The ideal length of time to explore Luxembourg is 4 to 5 days. A weekend will be too short to explore most of the country, unless you only want a city trip to Luxembourg City. A prolonged weekend or midweek of 4 to 5 days gives you the time to discover both Luxembourg’s capital as well as its stunning nature and other charming towns and cities.
What is Luxembourg known for?
Luxembourg is known as one of the smallest countries in Europe with a rich cultural heritage since it has many UNESCO World Heritage Sites listed but also wonderful natural areas to discover, such as the Mullerthal region.
Is Luxembourg worth going to?
Yes, Luxembourg is worth going to! Although it’s a tiny country, there is so much to discover! From a rich history and cultural wonders to magnificent natural rock formations. If you love both culture and nature you’re in the right place!
What is the most beautiful part of Luxembourg?
For me, the most beautiful part of Luxembourg is the Müllerthal region with its incredible rock formations, tiny caves, and challenging hikes. Although the Moselle region comes in second place. With its endless vineyards and romantic river bends, it’s a stunning place to visit!
